Flue cleaner



Patented Nov. 4, 1930 STATES PATENT OFFICE DON M. MILLER, OF NATERLOO,IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO BOILER EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ACORPOBATION OF IOWA FLUE CLEANER Application filed July 25, 15 27.

,1 connection with bo ler flues, adapted to clean them quickly andthoroughly.

One specific object is to arrange the operative elements of the devicebetween the boiler end and adjacent spaced end wall of the furnacestructure, whereby no inconvenient projections are without said end wallor a door thereof on which the operating means may be interiorlymounted.

Another object of my invention is to so relate the movably adjustablesupporting means for the nozzle element of the cleaner to the pivotal oruniversally movable fulcrum of the nozzle, that the nozzle may becorrectly and quickly directed into any one of the open ends of theassembled boiler tubes.

Another object consists in supplying means for limiting the horizontalplay of the nozzle on said supporting means, the stops whereof are adjustably mounted upon the latter.

Another object is to furnish a releasable adjustable locking device forsaidnozzle supporting means, independently controlled, and positivelyand resiliently acting in the operation of adjusting the vertical playof said supporting means while locking the device as adjusted.

These objects have been accomplished by the means which are hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment ofinvention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what isclaimed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof its protection.

In the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 is a conventional view of adjacent endparts of a tubular boiler with its incasing furnace structure, taken invertical longitudinal section, with parts broken away, and showing inside elevation and in longitudinal vertical section elements of my fluecleaning devices in operative position and relation.

Serial No. 208,344.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the back part of the furnace end door showingmy operating elements for he nozzle mounted thereon. Fi 3 is a plan Viewof the nozzle supportmeans as supported in extension on said one. door.Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail views, respectively, of the lockingdevice for the nozzle supporting means, Fig. A being partially anelevation from one side and par tially a vertical longitudinal sectionof the device, and Fig. 5 partially a plan view partially a horizontallongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the nozzlebearing.

The line cleaning nozzle element of my invention com rises a pipe havinga diminished nozzle end of dimensions in diameter to easily enter theend of any boiler tube 2 angularly to direct a jet of high power steaminto the same to soften and drive out adherent soot or other coatings.This nozzled pipe is at its other end mounted within a T-coupling 36provided with a handle 37, and a steam hose of a flexible material at 38is coupled at 39 with said T-coupling.

Tlhe numeral 1 denotes the boiler end w ll mounted within a furnacestructure as conventionally shown at 3. The end wall 3 is spacedhorizontally away from the open ends of the assemblage of boiler fines2, and this wall may have one or more doorways 4 directly opposite ineach case from the center of each assemblage of flues if more than one.It is of course to be understood that my invention is complete whetherexemplified in one or a plurality of installations of such assemblagesand cleaning devices, as will. be now described.

The doorway l has a hinged door 5 which may be of any size or shape andwhich has at a location directly opposite the center of the assemblageof flues 2, an aperture of circular shape, which, together with theregistering interiorly spherical surfaces 6 in added superposed bearingplates 7 and 8 riveted or bolted at places 9 to the inner face of saiddoor, provides a spherical boxing to receive a diametrically aperturedsphere 17 which at opposite sides projects slightly without the door 5and the plate 8, respectively. The aperture in said sphere 17 and itstubular stein i is preferably of a shape to fit loosely but closely thepipe and nozzle 35 and permit the latter to slide easily therethrough.

The plate 7, which lies against the inner face of the door 0, hasinwardly directed end lugs apertured to receive pintles 12 from the endparts of a semicircular nozzle guidposite shoulders let. As the spherel? is in effect a universal bearing for the i e, the nozzle and stem it?may swing with the bracket as adiusteth and also mav swinglongitudinally through c l i 3. I have supplied ad1usta'ole sto is noonthe bracket 11 for limiting the play in oppos to directionslongitudinally and horizon l the nozzle in said slot. This comprisesnear the ends of the slot or where necessa therealc-ng, a pair ofvertically disposed sh bars 141: and 16 positioned opposite each othercontacting with the outer and inner faces of the bracket and securedthrough the slot 13 by means of a bolt 15, adjustably These stops limitthe endwise "lay of the nozzle along the slot, so that the nozzle may bethus manipulated to enter the fines 2 at the end of each horizontal rowguided surely by the tubular stem 40 and not move further without theassemblage, and which conveniei F in the handling of the nozzle inlocatni" said end fines. The inner end of the 40 has a hinge l2 carryinga spring controlle" door 43l1.

I have furnished, mounted also upon the in ner face of the door 5 toproject toward the boiler head in their interspace a fixed bracket andboxing element of T-shape 23 secured by bolts 26 and positioned mediallybelow said bracket 11. at a suitable distance. Referring now to saidFigs. and 5, the element 23 has opposite lugs 25 by which it is securedby the bolts 26 to said door, and the element is provided with acylindrical longitudinal beari aperture 29 to seat a slidablereciprocatory opera-ting bar 24;. The bar 24 is diminished at placebetween its ends as at 30 and a coiled compression spring 3 iis mountedtherearound to be engaged its opposite ends with the left shoulder ofsaid bar and with a spaced pair of pins 27 traversing the element 23transversely horizontally. The right-hand or inner part of the bar 24 isalong one side er;- cised about to its axis at 32 to permit the passagetherethrough of a rack-bar 20 having notches 21 along one edge to attimes engage a single transverse pin 22 located above the bar 2 Therecess 32 is made long enough to permit some swinging play of therack-bar 2O therethrough to contact alternately with with the arcuateshoulders of the bar parts 31 and 33. The element 23 is verticallyslotted or recessed at 28 to one side of its medial vertical plane togive a seat for the rackbar 20. The upper end 01 the rack-oar 20 has apintle 19 whose ends are rockably seated in registering holes in a pairof spaced lugs 18 depending from the lower middle part of the arena tobracket 11. The spring 34:, when untensioned, acts to project one partof the bar 24 a short distance forwardly and outwardly of the forward orouter face of said door 5.

In order to raise or lower the hinged bracket ll to thus adjust theposition of the nozzle 35 to swing along an horizontal row of fines 2,the operator by foot or hand as convenient p ishes in the projectingpart oi the bar 2% su'liiciently to, while compressing said spring 34;,cause the shoulder 31. to contact with and push the bar 20 toward theboiler head 1, thus disengaging it from the transverse pin 22, a d thenthe outwardly projecting part of the nozzle may be manipulated to swingthe bracket 11 up or down to the space or one notch 21 on the bar 20,after the releasing of the bar 9% and the disengagement of the bar 20from the pin 22. The reaction of the spring will then seat the-notchover the pin thus providing a positive lock for the bar 20 and thebracket ll, to firmly hold the latter in supporting relation to saidnozzle. This firm support is very essential, for the reason that whenthe nozzletransmits steam at a relatively high pressure, the backpressure upon the nozzle creates side thrust which interferes materiallywith the operation, and my device is locked and held releasably toprevent any accidental displacements of the parts. It should benoted'that the rack-bar 20 in its engagements with the pin 22 as thebracket ll is swung adjustably vertically, operates on a radius of thespherical bearing lenient 17. This radial'swinging action of the bracketand of the rack-bar afiords an easy uncramped action of the nozzlesupport, in positionally relating the sphere 17, its tubular stem 4:0and the delivery end of the nozzle to a boiler tube.

Other flue cleaners have the nozzle supper ing and manipulating device-sprojeeti from and mounted upon the outer face of the furnace end wall ora door hinged thereto and which makes an inconvenient obstruction atthat location in the use of the door, or because of occupying'sp'a-ceneeded for the installation of other devices, or otherwise. It will beseen that my flue cleaning device is supported and functions entirely inthe in terspace of the boiler end and the end wall of the furnacestructure, and that this position and relationot the device to the doorand the til boiler head is new and useful to a great degree,

The tubular stem lf) of the sphere 17 serves to direct the nozzle to anyboiler tube without waste of effort in finding it, and when the nozzlewithdrawn the springcontrolled hinged door 11 closes said stemyieldingly.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A flue cleaner comprising a nozzle mounted for universal movement, anadjustable guide element for said nozzle, and a de vice for locking saidguide element in any adjusted position, releasably, said device in anyposition relative to said elementincluding yieldable resilient means forengaging and holding said element as adjusted.

2. A flue cleaner comprising a nozzle mounted to have a universalmovement, a vertically adjustable swinging guide element for saidnozzle, adjustable stops on said guide element to limit horizontal playof the nozzle thereon, and means for releasably retaining said guideelement in any adjusted position.

3. A flue cleaner comprising a nozzle mounted to have a universalmovement, a vertically adjustable swinging longitudinally slotted guideelement to receive said nozzle through its slot for horizontal movementstherein, and means for releasably retaining said guide element in anyadjusted position.

a. A fine cleaner comprising a nozzle mounted to have a universalmovement, a vertically swinging adjustable arcuate guide element forsaid nozzle, and a spring controlled releasable locking device to holdsaid guide element in a desired position of adjustment whatever theirrelative positions, said guide element having radial play from the axialcenter of the universal movement fulcrum of said nozzle.

5. A flue cleaner comprising a nozzle swingingly mounted, means forsupporting the nozzle in desired adjusted positions, and a separateindependently operable device for positively and automaticallyreleasably looking said means in an adjusted position and in anyposition of said device.

6. A flue cleaner comprising a nozzle, an apertured supporting spherewhose aperture is traversed by said nozzle slidably, said sphereconstituting an universal joint fulcrum for the nozzle, a swinging bodyfor slidably supporting the nozzle in vertically adjusted positions, anotched swinging arm connected releasably to said body, a locking devicefor said swinging arm comprising cooperating locking elements movablymounted upon a relatively fixed structure, and independently operableresiliently controlled means for operating said cooperating elements toreleasably lock them together in relatively adjusted positions to varythe amount of adjustment of the swinging body,

said body being positioned to shift on radii of said fulcruming sphere.

7. Flue cleaning means comprising in combination, a furnace structurecontaining a boiler having an end part spaced from the flue ends of theadjacent boiler head, said furnace structure end part having a doorwayand a movable door therefor, the door having a circular aperture and aboxing on the inner face of the door having a segmental spherical seatregistering with said aperture, a diametrically apertured sphericalfulcrum mounted loosely in said spherical seat, a longitudinally slottedsubstantially horizontal vertically adjustable arcuate bracket memberhinged upon said door to project. inwardly thereof and whose axis ofhinging is diametrical of the said spherical fulcrum, said fulcrum beingopposite the assemblage of flue ends in said boiler head, a nozzleslidably mounted in the aperture of the spherical fulcrum and slid ablytraversing the slot in said bracket, and means for adjustably limitingthe scope of slidable play of said nozzle in the slot of said bracket.

8. Flue cleaning means comprising in combination, a furnace structureinclosing a boiler with an end part spaced from a boiler head, a doorwaybeing provided in said end part and a door for closing the doorway, saiddoor having an apertured seat and fulcrum for a nozzle opposite thecenter of a con geries of flue ends in said boiler, supporting means fora nozzle mounted on the inner face of the door to project inwardlytoward said boiler head and adjustable Vertically, a nozzle slidablytraversing the aperture in said door and supported slidably upon saidnozzle supporting means for horizontal play therealong, a rack-bardepending hingedly from said nozzle supporting means, a bracket memberfixed on said door to project inwardly adjacent said nozzle supportingmeans, the door and said bracket member having registering apertures, anindependently operable slide-bar reciprocable in said apertures tonormally project slightly outwardly from said door, said bar having adiminished medial part between shoulders, a stop across said apertureand the interspace of said shoulders, a coiled compression springmounted around the diminished part of said slide bar to be engagedbetween one of said shoulders and said stop, said bracket member havingits inner end slotted intersecting said aperture, said slide bar havinga side part excisedin registration with said slot, a fixed pintraversing the slotted part of said bracket member above saidlongitudinal aperture, and the rack bar having edge notches for engagingsaid fixed pin, whereby the slide bar may be shifted to release the rackbar from said fixed pin reactively to permit of adjusting the rack byshifting said nozzle vertically a desired distance, when the rack bar isslidingly seated in the slot of said bracket member and in the sideopening of the slide bar. 7

9. A flue cleaner comprising anozzle, a freely supported sphere having astem apertured diametrically and Whose aperture is traversed by saidnozzle slidably and removably, a. door hinged upon the end of said stemand spring-controlled to normally close the aperture yieldingly, thisend part of the stem being narrowed for a distance above and below toprovide stop shoulders, spaced guide elements positioned substantiallyhorizontally and hinged to swing up or down, the said stem having itsnarrowed part seated for transverse swinging between said elements andstopped thereagainst' by said stop shoulders, and means for releasablysecuring said guide elements in adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DON M. MILLER.

